Usain Bolt is running into his best form ahead of London 2012 after producing
a series of formidable times in training.

Bolt, the star attraction at the Olympics, is “ready to go”, according to his coach and team captain, who on Tuesday banished any fears over his fitness by backing him to repeat his amazing feats of Beijing 2008.

The Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion has suffered from a chronic back problem this year and was forced to pull out of the Diamond League meeting in Monaco last week after complaining of tiredness in his hamstring. He was earlier defeated by Yohan Blake in the Jamaican Olympic trials.

But Bolt has said he is on a mission to break his 100m world record by running 9.4sec.

Michael Frater, captain of the Jamaican men’s team, last night backed Bolt to beat his friend and training partner Blake. “We have some great guys out there but Usain Bolt is something phenomenal and I would not bet against him winning the 100m.

“If you look at their previous competitions, Yohan Blake ran 9.75 and Usain Bolt ran 9.76. I think they are in great shape.”

The Jamaicans are using the University of Birmingham campus, in Edgbaston, as their holding camp but both Bolt and Blake failed to show on Tuesday morning for a training session open to the public.

It is understood Bolt appeared for an afternoon session after the public had left the venue.

On Bolt’s condition, Don Quarrie, a manager with the team, said: “Usain will be ready to go. His performances this time are close to what he was doing before the 2008 Olympics. He will be ready to run in London. Everybody is motivated and I am certain Jamaican athletes will be remembered after the London Olympics.”

Bolt’s determination to defend his titles has only been increased by the emergence of Blake, who is arguably the man in the best form after beating his rival two times in three days at the trials.

Bolt told a newspaper: “This will be the moment, and this will be the year, when I set myself apart from other athletes in the world. A lot of legends, a lot of people have come before me, but this is my time.

“Each training session I’m getting better and better. I have no other duties now, no worries, it’s all about training, eating and sleeping. I have a lot more time and can put a lot more effort into training. I’m feeling better every day. As long as I’m feeling myself I’m definitely in no doubt I can go to the Olympics and win.”

Expectations are high as the Jamaican track and field team attempt to beat the 11 medals won four years ago in Beijing.

Frater said: “The stars for Jamaica will shine very bright,” he said. “It’s us against the world, we are everybody’s target. We’re ready to take on the world.

“We are very prepared and we are able to handle anything that anybody throws at us. We have a target on our back and everybody is trying to take us down. We are going to have some fun.”